Hide and Seek
by Dreamer of Legends
Summary: Happy Birthday Yugi!


**A.N. Now, bear in mind that this thing was very rushed so that I could get it done on time! I will go back and revamp it later, so for now please excuse any obvious flaws. I wrote it in two hours!**

**~Dreamer**

His footsteps thundered far too loudly into the hard ground as he furiously pushed himself to his limits. But though each jarring impact sounded with a resounding _thud_, the echo came back to him muffled and faintly distorted. That's how you knew he was close. The farther into his realm you ventured, the closer you came to falling into his clutches, the more twisted and surreal reality became.

Soon the very floor itself would begin to ripple under his feet, trying to trip him up and slow him down. The air around him would grow dim and heavy, until he was almost swimming rather than running through it. And then the shadows would come, chasing the light away and with it, the last of his hope...

He picked up his speed even more, his feet flying over the stone as fast as they had ever gone before. But he knew it was no good. He was too turned around in here, a mouse in a maze while the cat watched from above with hungry eyes. It was only a matter of time before...

A breath of wind gusted past his ears, and he felt his heart miss a beat. He stopped dead, (which was not an easy thing to do, mind you,) and listened hard, hoping that he was mistaken. The whisper came again, and this time he heard what it was saying clearly.

"_Yuuuugiiiiiiii..._"

He froze, not even daring to breathe. It was a bluff, it had to be! He was trying to lure him into answering. He sealed his lips shut, backing up to put his back to the wall, eyes darting about nervously.

"_It's no use._" The voice moaned, sending shivers up his spine. "_I have you right where I want you. Just give in... I'll let you see your friends again..._"

Yugi's breath caught in his throat at that, and his eyes widened. The stone behind him suddenly darkened, the blackness spreading out like a giant ink blot. He yelped and jumped away from it, wiping the clinging blackness from his skin. It began to bubble and churn, three distinctive humanoid figures oozing up from the muck slowly.

"No..." Yugi breathed, horrified. He knew what they were, and he knew that if they touched him it was all over.

He backpedaled and took off again, not daring to look back. He cut a sharp turn around one corner so fast he scraped his shoulder along the rough surface. Wincing, he ignored the pain and the bruise and kept running. At least nothing was shifting yet.

Of course, he spoke too soon. Just then the walls began to ripple in great, dizzying waves, and he had to catch himself from stumbling headlong into one of them. The moving surfaces were incredibly disorienting, as his eyes and his brain were sending him two differing messages. He shut his eyes to block the nauseous feelings, and concentrated on telling himself not to trust what they had told him. He let his senses guide where to place his feet and he ran on until he was past the shivering stone.

He was forced to stop and catch his breath a moment later, clutching at the painful stitch in his side.

_How much farther?_ He wondered, not daring to ponder aloud. The walls had ears, he was certain of it. They likely had eyes, too, but he didn't want to think about that.

He carefully peeked around the corner cautiously, wondering why the figures had not chased him down yet.

_Maybe they separated... _It was not a comforting thought. If they knew where he was, and they split up, they could block several different paths at once, limiting his choices to get out of here. He listened for them, but no sounds could be heard over his harsh breathing.

Yugi knew that the worst thing he could do was wait though, so he started off again at a slow jog. He listened intently for many long moments, but could not hear anything. His legs were beginning to burn with fatigue, but the air gusting across his face was lighter, cooler, and so he knew that his goal was close.

But then, so suddenly he hardly had time to blink, the black blot was right in front of him, spreading its black tendrils towards him!

_How?_ He thought. _How did he _do_ that?_

He tried to stop himself, tried to back up and take another path. But it was too late, too late!

"No!" He cried, throwing his arms up to cover his face. _I'm sorry guys, I was so close..._

Yami flew out of the shadows in a great, flying leap, a huge grin splayed across his face and his arms thrown out wide.

"Gottcha!" He blew into Yugi with a huge crash, wrapping his arms around his waist in a rib-cracking tackle. They fell in a heap, Yami somehow managing to twist himself in mid-air so that Yugi's fall was cushioned and he did not hurt himself.

Yugi could not control his laughter, the rush of adrenaline making him utterly giddy. He was giggling so hard he could actually feel Yami shaking underneath him, though that might have been because he was laughing too.

"Not this time aibou." Yami let him go and Yugi promptly fell off, quite literally rolling on the floor with laughter. Yami looked at him with his eyebrows raised, reaching to thump him on the back.

"Breathe, Yugi!"

Yugi sucked in some much needed air with a gasp, tears in his eyes.

"You had me so _scared_!" He breathed, trying to calm his nervous heart. The poor thing was beating like it expected to jump out if his chest. "I don't know how you do that. I knew that it was you, but still!" He put a hand over his chest. "My mind wouldn't listen to me."

"The darkness's greatest weapon is the fear of the unknown." Yami nodded. "If you can convince yourself that you're not sure what's coming, you can let terror properly set in and make the experience a little more real." He laughed. "Usually that's not a good thing, but your expression was absolutely priceless."

Yugi smiled, staring up at the ceiling as he concentrated on steadying his heart. He turned his head and looked at Yami, who was similarly trying to catch his breath. They _had_ been at this for a long time, since early afternoon in fact. Yami had insisted that he had a really cool idea that would double as Yugi's birthday gift, but no amount of prodding would get his friends to tell him what he had in mind.

And then Yami had come barreling into the kitchen, shooting golden beams out of the Puzzle like bullets, sucking them into its golden walls.

"Am I the last one again?" Yugi asked, and Yami nodded.

"Yes, I caught Joey first, then Tristan, and then Tea. When I found them though, I figured they would want to head home, since it's almost midnight. I let them out of the Puzzle before I found you, and they send more birthday wishes."

"Is it really so late? Wow." Yugi slumped back. "No wonder I'm so exhausted. I guess that it's good they went though, I wouldn't want to completely wear them out."

They were silent for a while, reflecting on the fun they had enjoyed today. This was undoubtedly the best present by far, a full day of Hide and Seek in the biggest, most complicated maze ever created.

Abruptly, Yugi jumped up again.

"One more round!" He beamed, practically bouncing up and down in his excitement. He extended a hand to help Yami up, but Yami threw a hand over his rapidly moving chest.

"I don't think I can, Yugi. Bending the shadows is a lot of work. I'm exhausted!"

"Just one more, please?" Yugi pleaded, getting down on his knees to unleash the full affect of his sweet charm over Yami.

_He senses his victory is at hand. _Yami thought to himself, trying to hide his smirk. _He knows I am tired, and thinks me weakened; now he can pay me back for the many defeats he has suffered._ Very well then! Yami decided. Yugi may have a fairer chance of winning this time, but Yami still meant to make him earn it!

He propped himself up on his elbows and grinned wickedly in his partner's face, (and allowed himself a small twinge of pleasure at the look of terror that crossed Yugi's features as he did so,) his teeth inches from Yugi's nose. He let his body grow black and scatter to the winds; Yugi was left kneeling over the empty stone, and he quickly jumped to his feet, realizing his vulnerable position.

"One more round." The very air seemed to hiss, for Yami was of the Puzzle and so he was of the air. "One last chance for today Yugi. Good luck!"

"You're on!" Yugi shouted in defiance, a challenge if ever there was one!

He took off once more, trying to get a feel for his bearings. This was as close as he had ever gotten to the exit, and Yami was going need to be fast if he expected to catch him in time!

The laughter echoed through the walls of the Puzzle, making it glow just a little, reflecting the honest warmth of two dear friends and the gifts that they were to one another.


End file.
